Chillventa 2018 in Nuremberg: the European Turning Point and Italy’s Missed Opportunity

The international HVAC & R exhibition held in Nuremberg, Chillventa, represents the alternative to the Italian Expocomfort in Milan. Both take place every two years, but six months apart from each other. It goes without saying that those who participated in the German event this week will not have seen the producers present very different products from those seen in Milan last March. Nor, in general, the Milanese structure has nothing to envy that of Nuremberg. So then why the pavilions, new products’ presentation events and the general organization of Chillventa are so much the fair copy of those of Milan’s Mostra Convegno? Why are the most expensive stands, however, exploited more by producers and various exhibitors who invest dizzying figures just to have the most recognizable corner of the pavilion?

Yet, the overall revenue of the European refrigeration and air-conditioning market is, for the most part, concentrated in Italy, certainly not in Germany. Why, then, can the German exhibition be considered the most important in Europe (if not in the world!)? Difficult to answer but, perhaps, not impossible.

The German "system-country", as we know, is not affected by political-economic shocks that could compromise its economic-financial structure. On the contrary: if it is true that the Teutonic political landscape also experiences a period of profound metamorphosis, the same thing can’t be said about their gross domestic product or internal consumption, which do not stop growing. So, year after year, German companies can afford to buy the same Bitzer produced in Germany at higher prices, but also the Copeland, Danfoss, Frascold or Dorin… because they know that, without major difficulties, they can also sell them at definitely higher prices than their Italian emulators.
Whilst this can be seen as a defeat, on the other hand, it can be - for those who know how to move with the necessary skills - a big business opportunity. Here, once again, the world of distribution is called to make a difference in Europe and in the world, filling the empty gap left by politics, institutions and society.

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